Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the median salary for an officer of the National Crime Agency was in the 2023-24 financial year.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
The median salary for an officer of the NCA as of March 2024 is £41,347.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has made an estimate of the (a) number and proportion of permanent staff in the National Crime Agency's International Corruption Unit who were in the unit for more than 12 months and (b) staff attrition rate from that unit in the last two financial years.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
The International Corruption Unit (ICU) is the dedicated team within the NCA that investigates serious criminal allegations of bribery and corruption.
We are unable to disclose the number of staff employed in the ICU as that information is operationally sensitive. However, in 2022/23, 86% of staff had been in the unit for more than 12 months. In 2021/22 it was 84% of staff.
The ICU staff annual attrition rate was recorded at 5.5% in both 2021/22 and 2022/23.
Due to complexities on deriving the figure, the NCA is unable to provide the average years of staff service.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data his Department holds on the number of full-time equivalent staff in the National Crime Agency International Corruption Unit (a) in total and (b) who were funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's UK Action Against Corruption programme between 7 December 2009 and 31 March 2023.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
The International Corruption Unit (ICU) was not formed until 2015, so we do not hold any information prior to this date.
We are unable to disclose the number of staff employed in the ICU as that information is operationally sensitive. However, as of March 2024 the percentage of staff in the ICU, funded by the FCDO UK Action Against Corruption Programme, is 76%.
This is broadly comparable over the programme’s funding period.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress his Department and the National Crime Agency have made on securing the £5.6 million forfeiture against assets held by Javanshir Feyziyev and his family; whether the location of these funds has been identified; and what plans his Department has for the (a) management and (b) disposal of those funds.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
The National Crime Agency applied for a forfeiture order on assets held by Javanshir Feyziyev which has been granted. The forfeiture amount of £5,630,994.19 has been deposited and disposed of.
Funds recovered under the powers in the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) are entered into the HO Asset Recovery Incentivisation Scheme (ARIS). ARIS is a discretionary funding model that’s objective is to provide agencies (prosecuting, investigating and enforcement) with incentives to use POCA powers to pursue asset recovery with the overall aim of cutting crime and delivering justice. ARIS receipts are split 50:50 between operational partners involved in the asset recovery process, and central government.
Further information on ARIS can be found at: Asset recovery statistical bulletin: financial years ending 2018 to 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress his Department has made on securing the £4 million settlement between the National Crime Agency and Suleyman Javadov; whether the location of these funds has been identified; and what plans his Department has for the (a) management and (b) disposal of these funds.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
The NCA made an application for forfeiture at Westminster Magistrates Court on 28 May 2020 under s303Z14 of the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA). The Order was granted by the court with the consent of all parties. The total amount forfeited was £4,066,480.11.
As the funds were recovered under POCA the funds entered the HO Asset Recovery Insentivisation Scheme (ARIS). ARIS is a discretionary funding model that’s objective is to provide agencies (prosecuting, investigating and enforcement) with incentives to use POCA powers to pursue asset recovery with the overall aim of cutting crime and delivering justice. ARIS receipts are split 50:50 between operational partners involved in the asset recovery process, and central government.
Further information on ARIS can be found at: Asset recovery statistical bulletin: financial years ending 2018 to 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the National Crime Agency International Corruption Unit, what data his Department holds on the (a) number and proportion of permanent staff who were in the unit for more than 12 months, (b) staff attrition rate and (c) average of years of service in (i) anti-money laundering and (ii) anti-bribery in the (A) 2021-22 and (B) 2022-23 financial year.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The International Corruption Unit (ICU) in the NCA investigates serious criminal allegations of bribery and corruption. In 2022/23 86% of staff had been in the unit for more than 12 months compared to 84% in 2021/22.
The ICU staff annual attrition rate was recorded at 5.5% in both 2021/22 and 2022/23. I am unable to provide the average years of staff service.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of when (a) the Bailiwick of Jersey, (b) the Bailiwick of Guernsey and (c) the Isle of Man will implement a publicly accessible register of beneficial ownership.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
In 2019, the Bailiwick of Jersey, Bailiwick of Guernsey and Isle of Man (the Crown Dependencies) committed to implement publicly accessible registers of beneficial ownership in line with principles adopted by the European Union.
In December 2022, following the ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), the Crown Dependencies issued a statement announcing that they were pausing work on their public commitments while they sought legal advice.
Currently 14 EU Member States allow public access to their beneficial ownership registers. Gibraltar has maintained a publicly accessible beneficial ownership register since 2020 and has not noted any negative economic impacts resulting from implementation of its public register.
The UK and the Crown Dependencies have differing legal views on implementing publicly accessible registers in light of the CJEU ruling. The UK is satisfied with the lawfulness of our own publicly accessible registers and continues to believe that the CDs could legally implement public registers of their own.
The Home Office is actively engaging the Crown Dependencies to understand their position. We will keep Parliament updated in the weeks ahead.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her planned timetable is for implementing the forthcoming increase in the immigration health surcharge.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Immigration (Health Charge) (Amendment Order) 2023 was laid in Parliament on 19 October and is subject to parliamentary process. The IHS increase will come into force on 16 January or 21 days after the Order is made whichever is later.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Framework for transparent and accountable asset return, published in January 2022, what steps her Department is taking to (a) send the money confiscated from former Nigerian governor James Ibori and his associates in July 2023 to the Delta State government within the shortest reasonable timeframe, (b) ensure that all information on the (i) transfer and (ii) administration of returned assets is published and available in both the (A) transferring and (B) receiving countries and (c) ensure that civil society organisations in the UK are able to (1) monitor the use of the funds and (2) hold the government to account.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
In July 2023, confiscation orders totalling over £129 million were made against James Ibori and Bhadresh Gohil. Once the funds have been realised, we will, in line with our asset return framework, work with the relevant stakeholders, including CSOs, to ensure that these funds are returned via the most appropriate mechanism and in the best interest of both the requested and requesting state.
When returning funds, the UK will always sign a case-specific agreement with the relevant country detailing the steps that the recipient Government will take to ensure the funds are put to their intended use. All agreements which oversee the return of funds abroad are published on gov.uk
The UK is a signatory to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) and places great importance on the recovery and return of the proceeds of corruption. In January 2022, the UK published its first ever Framework for Transparent and Accountable Asset Return, which applies across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The purpose of the Framework is to ensure consistency, transparency and accountability in the UK’s process for returning assets.
Asked by: Margaret Hodge (Labour - Barking)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the announcement on ending civil service expansion by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 2 October 2023, whether the cap on the civil service headcount will affect the recruitment of the (a) 400 fraud investigators announced in the Fraud Strategy 2023 and (b) 475 full-time equivalent staff for tackling money laundering and asset recovery announced in the Economic Crime Plan 2023-26.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
Through the Spending Review and the new Economic Crime Levy we are providing additional funding to tackle Economic Crime of £400 million up to the end of 2024/25. The headcount cap announced by the Chancellor applies to the overall size of the Civil Service, excluding the devolved administrations. Policing, including Regional Organised Crime Units (ROCUs) who are a major recipient of additional Economic Crime investment, are out of scope.
As part of the process, the Government will identify risks, and ensure this is implemented in a way which preserves frontline service delivery, business critical activity and key Government priorities. This is not a recruitment freeze, but rather about stopping unchecked growth overall and moving towards a leaner and more efficient Civil Service workforce.